Heris
The small town of Heris is the center of one of the weaving areas in Azerbaijan, and has given its name to one of the most important Persian provenances. Carpets from the town's workshops are of better quality than those from the inaccessible mountain villages. The typical Heris red and a highly individual medallion are the main characteristics of these popular carpets. Old and antique examples, in various blue tones, are occasionally found in the trade and at auctions. Brown, beige and turquoise shades indicate older pieces. Heris silk carpets are exceptionally finely knotted and are both rare and very beautiful. The designs of old Heris rugs differ radically from those of new pieces.

Bakhshayesh
The carpets of Bakhshayesh, a small village near Heris, are somewhat similar to the weavings of Heris in colour, format, design and wool quality. Like the latter they are woven with the Turkish knot hut the handle is harder, particularly in the older pieces. As colourful, solidly produced, furnishing carpets the quality varies from good to very good.

Sizes: in general; carpets are made in sizes of 6, 12 and up to 20 sq. m (65, 130, and up to 220 sq. ft.) Other formats are occasionally available, e.g. old and antique wide Heris runners, prayer rugs, etc.

Colours: mostly the typical dark Heris red, brown and beige. Blue is used as contrast and contour colours. New pieces tend to be rather inharmoniously coloured. Old and antique Heris carpets are sometimes found in large formats and in wonderful blue and turquoise shades.

Patterns: center medallions are often richly decorated and have a characteristic, rather rectangular shape. Filler motifs include arabesques, palmettos and rosettes in colourful repeats. Also characteristic are the square or rectangular corners in the field, often decorated with arabesques.

Foundation: warps and welts are of cotton; those of old and antique pieces may also be of silk.

Knots: coarsely woven in the Turkish knot with up to 1,000 knots per sq. dm (65 per sq. in.). Silk carpets are very finely woven,

Pile: good quality wool, clipped high. Silk piles are cut low.

Quality: mostly good to very good. It is worth learning to distinguish the different qualities. Old and antique Heris carpets belong to the best carpets on the market.

History | Designs | Regions | Artists | Glossary

Gallery | Merchants | STORE

 ©2000-2008  Ziba Rayaneh

Best view with IE 5 or later at 800*600 resolution
Last Update  16 May, 2008